Increased Discrete Against Smart Phoneless Passengers: Technology Obstacle on Public Transport Fees

Although the integration of digitalization and technology is fast, it reveals a problem that this transformation does not affect the entire community segment evenly: it remains in case of paying higher fee of passengers who do not use smartphone in public transport systems.

The growing number of cities, mobile payments and transition to digital ticketing systems. This change brings:

• Increased fees in cash and physical card payments
• Cheaper ticket pricing via mobile applications
• Does older and low income groups without access to the digital system spend more
• Economic risk of discrimination based on smartphone host
• Differentiation of the rates of the benefit of public transport service between socioeconomic groups

Although technology companies and municipalities defend the cost of digital systems, these savings are not evenly reflected to all users. Cheaper tickets are valid only for those who have a smartphone.

This situation reveals the problem of technology access difference in digital age into an economic punishment mechanism. In basic services such as public transport, technology is argued that pricing is inverted to the principles of availability and accessibility according to the preference of use.